CEAC is encouraged by NIWA scientist findings here, because in our CEAC monitoring of the air quality during lockdown we observed the same result in Napier and Gisborne
during the low truck freight export activities.
CEAC has experienced over 20 yrs higher levels of air quality degradation as we were sampling air quality in several
suburban regions when complaints of high levels of air pollution were voiced in residential communities.
Generally we were told by residents near truck routes they were experiencing high levels of black soot settling on their
homes.
This first came about on Napier’s’ Marine Parade in 2001 when truck freight to Napier port increased significantly and
was reported in the press widely then.
Several years later when the trucks were re-routed off the Marine Parade and sent around to western suburbs the same
result occurred there.
Now high air pollution is a major problem for the health and wellbeing of the thousands of westside Napier residents.
NIWA is 100% correct: “This gain could have been extended to a few hundred thousand more people if diesel trucks and
buses had been removed from the city centre. This is due to the disproportionately high influence diesel vehicles in
downtown areas can have on air pollution exposure,” Dr Longley said.
In Napier’s case it was “move the trucks-move the pollution problem”
We are yet to learn from our mistakes; we strongly urge the Government to get rail moving freight to save the ‘health
and wellbeing’ of our citizens please.